Washington, D.C.–Nevada Senator Harry Reid made the following statement after the release of August’s unemployment figures:

“The only acceptable jobs report is one that shows unemployment falling and Americans going back to work. Last week, Ben Bernanke said that to get our economy back on track, Democrats and Republicans in Congress must work together on practical, bipartisan ideas to create jobs. Today’s jobs report confirms that we have no time to waste. I look forward to hearing President Obama’s ideas for creating jobs next week. But there are bipartisan bills that Congress can pass immediately to put Americans back to work. On Tuesday, the Senate will vote to create jobs by streamlining the patent system to help entrepreneurs start new businesses. That is just a first step – there is much more that can be done right away. We should also extend the payroll tax credit to keep money in consumers’ pockets. We should reauthorize the FAA to create or protect 270,000 jobs. And we should put Americans to work building roads and bridges.

“All of these ideas have bipartisan support. To pass them, Republicans need to stop trying to appease the Tea Party, and start working across the aisle with Democrats. Putting Americans back to work is the most important job Congress has right now, and it is what Americans in Nevada and across the country are counting on us to do.”